


temporary problem

by orphan_account



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, Cheryl Blossom Needs a Hug, Protective Toni Topaz, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Toni Topaz Needs a Hug, cheryls suicide attempt in 1x13 never happened and it's happening now, choni are happy but cheryl is dying inside, following s2 canon, i hate jug and Betty but I try to redeem them for the sake of my fic, jughead and Betty are feeling guilty for literally being assholes to her throughout the show, season 3 never happened cuz wtf is that season, varchie and bughead are supportive friends and stable relationships, varchie are extremely supportive and protective ugh they're wholesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-10
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:28:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22651780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Cheryl couldn't take it anymore. Her life was going well and she knew it was a matter of time till something bad happened. Just as when Jason had died, the days prior were amazing. Her brother's death was the last straw. She couldn't take it anymore. Even if that meant leaving her friends and Toni Topaz.
Relationships: Archie Andrews/Veronica Lodge, Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones, Cheryl Blossom/Toni Topaz
Comments: 34
Kudos: 111





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> so basically cheryls suicide attempt in 1x13 never happened but it's happening now. all events take place after 2x22.choni are thriving and so is varchie and bughead.

She finally realize how fucked up everything was. Her mind wandered back to the time where she was careless and free. When she had Jason and her parents, even if they were pretending to give a shit about her. It hadn't really settled in until today.

Standing on the frozen territory of Sweetwater River, Cheryl Blossom looked around. This was the day her life ended. Where she had last seen her brother, alive, healthy, and ready to start a family with Polly Cooper. She was beyond excited for him, actually. It hadn't really settled in that he was gone, that day where they found his body; months later, too. Cheryl always had a feeling he'd be back, like when Drama TV shows would have the dead characters come back in a very well-thought out way. Maybe Jason had faked his death like Alison Dilaurentis had in one of her favorite shows Pretty Little Liars. Maybe he had run away to start a new life somewhere else or maybe there was a triplet who looked exactly like Jason who's body had been found instead. Cheryl's mind had raked with scenarios and possibilities but until now... it had never occurred to her that Jason Blossom was gone for good.

Cheryl wiped the stray tears that made their way onto her chin and got out her phone. Who to text? 

She took a deep breath as she made her way to the center of the frozen river, grabbing a small steel crowbar that she had tucked in the pocket of the white dress she wore the day her twin died. Cheryl curled her fingers around the edge and knelt down, striking the ice over and over hoping to make a hole big enough to fit her body.

Cheryl always thought that life was beautiful. She knew that the beauty of life is in its shades of light and dark, heartbreak and healing, joy and sadness, laughter and tears. But Cheryl's only ever known the dark parts of it.

She knew that life was beautiful but she also knew, more than ever, that she didn't deserve to live in it. She knew she wasn't worthy enough to live it. She had done nothing but be rude to everyone she knows, even if they call themselves her friends. Her father was in hell because of the murder he committed on his own son. Her mother treated her like absolute trash, which Cheryl thinks is valid, but it still doesn't change the fact that she hates her mom's guts. Archie, Jughead, and Betty had never been there for her. They had never talked to her unless they needed something. It was the occasional small talk, but Cheryl couldn't really blame them since she had been nothing but a bitch to them all these years. Veronica was fine, in fact, she was the only one who Cheryl felt like their conversations were actually meaningful and not just to waste time or gain information.

Cheryl's shaking fingers hovered over Veronica's name. She sent her a text to say goodbye because she couldn't bring herself to say goodbye to Toni... Goodbye to her other friends. So she did it to her friend who always gave her the best advice. 

Then there was Toni.

Toni.

Oh how Cheryl loved that name. How she adored her amazing girlfriend. Some might call her selfish for attempting to flee this world when she had such an amazing significant other and friends, regardless if the friendship is genuine or not, but she knows she doesn't deserve it. Cheryl knows that she has done nothing in this world to deserve love and affection.

It all hit her at once, as her arm blindly swung back and forth, the ice forming a bigger crack each time.

Her parents wouldn't attend her wedding. Her friends were going to move out of Riverdale and to opposite ends of the earth. Toni might not last forever. High school relationships don't last, right? Cheryl choked on a sob. Why should she wait for the heartbreak when she could end it all right now? She could at least be with the one person who she knew loved her to death, who had been there for her all her life who if he hadn't died she would've still been that happy carefree child she used to be.

The death that had changed her entire life.

The death that clogged her brain from anything happy when she thought about it.

The death that makes her sob and burst into tears even when she's having the happiest and best time of her life, cuddling with Toni whilst watching movies with the gang.

It wasn't fair.

Life wasn't fair.

With one last shaky attempt, the ice broke through. Cheryl dropped her weapon slowly and stayed kneeling on the ground. Her knees had become so frozen and numb that she couldn't feel them anymore. She just stared at the hole she had cracked through the ice that led into the freezing cold water.

Just a small jump and this is all over. The pain. The suffering. The tears. The guilt. All of it.

All of it.

"CHERYL!" She wasn't even sure if she heard anything or if it was all in her head but the voice sounded oddly like Jughead. She continued to look down at the hole she made, contemplating what time would be best for her to finally jump in. After further calculations, Cheryl realized that the hole wasn't big enough, it just needed a bit more space. She grabbed the crowbar and swung it again and again until the metal clanging became a ringing in her ears.

"CHERYL PLEASE!" Cheryl briefly wiped her ear with her shoulder as if to get rid of the voice in her head.

"CHERYL TURN AROUND PLEASE." Finally, Cheryl's arm went slack as she dropped the weapon yet again and got to her feet shakily.

Slowly, she turned her body around even though it took a lot of effort and spotted five people staring down at her from the shore. Archie, Jughead, Betty, Veronica and most importantly, her beautiful girlfriend, Toni. 

"Cheryl, you don't have to do this, I promise." Betty's voice rung out.

She remained silent.

"I know this must have hit you all of a sudden but trust me, you can get through this, it's not too late." Archie's quivering voice called.

Their voices were just plain ringtones. They had no meaning. It was too late. She was done.

"Cheryl please come to the shore, we'll figure this out together, alright?" Veronica cried out. Cheryl bit her lip. What was there to figure out?

"I love you, okay? I don't know what you're going through right now or what's going on in your head but I do know that I love you. I know that you love me too. Can that be enough to make you come over here so we can talk about this? This isn't worth it, Cheryl." Toni's voice finally coming out, echoing through the silent morning.

Cheryl painfully smiled at her, old thoughts still running around in her head.

"I love you, too. I love you all. But we all know that I barely have anything to live for. It's too far and complicated but just know that the world would be better off... you would be better off... and honestly so would I." Her red hair was flying through the wind as Cheryl clutched at her outfits collar, trying to station herself in place.

"We all know that's not true and deep inside you know that too." Toni responded, raising her voice slightly since the distance was making it hard to communicate, especially with the breezy weather.

Cheryl smiled once again, her listening abilities failing to work.

"This is a permanent solution to a temporary problem." Jughead added, trying to be helpful.

"Thank you, William Shakehead." Betty muttered under her breath, earning a small elbow from her boyfriend.

"Please, babe." Toni begged for a last time. Cheryl's heart ached that she's putting her girlfriend in such a position but she knows that in the end, good will come out of it. Toni would move on and find someone worthy of her love.

Cheryl looked into all her friends' eyes and sighed.

Then the ice beneath her broke.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toni is confused and upset and Veronica is worried.

Toni didn't know how they got to this point.

One moment, she was hanging with her friends at the Speakeasy, Cheryl claiming she had errands to run, the next moment, Veronica receiving a text that made Toni's muscles go slack.  
"thanks for being an amazing friend tell that to the others too. tell toni i love her. goodbye V, im gonna be with Jason now :)" Veronica read out loud as soon as she got the text.

Toni dropped her beer bottle, not caring about the glass that now littered the floor.

"Oh my god." Betty whispered into the quiet area.

"This isn't happening." Toni repeated, clutching her body as if to keep her grounded and calm, but almost collapsing until Jughead steadied her.

"We talked about this. She said she wouldn't do it." Veronica spit.

"She PROMISED me she wouldn't dare." Toni yelled and snatched her motorcycle keys.

"Hey, hey, hey, you're too hysterical to go driving on that thing now. How about we all get into my car, okay?" Archie explained slowly.

Betty placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder as Toni nodded slowly and allowed her to take the keys and put them back into her pocket.

"Where would Cheryl go to be with Jason?" Veronica thought.

"Sweetwater river." Jughead informed with a slight shake in his voice.

How Toni didn't even think once before leaping out of a moving vehicle the second Sweetwater came into view.

How her entire body froze at the sight of her girlfriend attempting to break the ice underneath her.

How Toni always knew that despite her happiness, Cheryl was slowly dying inside, losing the battle against herself everyday.

How Toni's own voice echoed in her ears, pathetic attempts to get Cheryl back to safety before it was too late. 

How Toni's entire blood circulation stopped functioning once she heard the loud crack of the ice breaking and her girlfriend falling through.

How Cheryl's name was being screamed by herself and her friends because no other name mattered right now.

\--

Toni didn't even know how fast she was running but her feet skidded to a halt once she was nearing the hole where the love of her life fell through. Her feet gave out at the slippery ice and snow and she fell to her knees right as she stopped at the hole and looked down into it. She didn't see Cheryl and that alone made her heart burst.

"Current has her." Archie informed loudly.

"Spread out, look for her." Veronica ordered and had her hands moving stacks of snow away before her mouth even opened.

The five went in opposite directions, clearing snow as much as possible to find their ginger haired friend who was drowning, not only in water, but in herself. The futile attempts of telling her that she mattered and deserved the world were useless. Cheryl needed to know that she wasn't unworthy, that she wasn't loveless and deviant, that she wasn't just a mean bitch who got what she wanted.

Toni made a promise that if she got Cheryl out of this alive, that she and her friends were going to convince her that she mattered.

Finally after what felt like forever, Toni found Cheryl's limp body floating towards the ice where she had cleared the snow from.

"HERE, SHE'S OVER HERE!" Toni yelled and wasted no time in waiting for her friends to arrive. Instead, she bit her lip and curled her fingers into a fist, punching the ice that was blocking her from reaching out and grabbing her girlfriend.

"Toni be careful!" She faintly heard Veronica say.

Toni didn't concentrate. The one thing she was focused on was breaking the ice. Her fist made in contact with the ice again, creating a crack. Blood was spilled all over her hand and the ice but Toni didn't even feel the slightest of pain.

"SOMEONE HELP!" Jughead screamed into nothingness... There was no one.

Toni's fist kept punching through the ice until it finally broke through, not without her entire fist bleeding all over the floor. She reached into the freezing cold water and grabbed her girlfriend's hand and pulled her up gently. Toni's heart immediately stopped at the fact that Cheryl's eyes were closed and she wasn't breathing. Her mind stopped working for a split second.

No.

Steps to CPR? Come on, you learnt this in training, Toni chided herself.

She set Cheryl down on the floor and started pushing down on her chest. 10 compressions. Nothing happened. Toni let out a small sob but leaned in and blew air into her girlfriend's mouth, few more compressions... Nothing happened. Toni wanted to stop hyperventilating but the thought that Cheryl was dead right now couldn't stop overtaking her mind. She drew in a deep breath and let it out again in her mouth, pushing even harder. Finally, a mountain of seawater erupted from Cheryl's mouth as she took in a deep breath and opened her eyes slowly.

Everyone around her breathed a sigh of relief as the red haired girl coughed and coughed as she tried to get all the water out of her system.

Toni allowed herself to sob for a few minutes. It wasn't because of the pain in her hand, which she now registered, it was because of the relief. The relief that came with her girlfriend being alive after a near death experience. After she looked death right in the eye.

She didn't know how she got the energy, but she placed her arm underneath Cheryl's knees and the other under her shoulder, hoisting her off the ground.

"I'll get the car closer." Archie informed and ran quickly to where he had parked his car.

Toni drew Cheryl close to her body as much as possible and didn't ignore the whimpers that she was giving against her neck. Her feet dragged along the ice as her friends followed close behind, none of them saying a single word. As promised, Archie's car drifted into view and Jughead wasted no time in being a gentleman and opened the door so Toni could get in. She tried to get in as best as possible without bumping Cheryl into anything and succeeded. Veronica climbed in next, followed by Betty, Jughead sat in the front passenger seat next to Archie, the latter immediately driving off.

\----------

Cheryl was laying down on Toni's lap while her torso rested on Veronica and her feet laid on Betty. It wasn't the most comfortable position, especially when she was soaking wet, but she appreciated the fact that her friends were putting up with the coldness of her body even when they wrapped her up with some spare blankets they found.

She was trying to drown out the voices in the car but she honestly had no other choice but to listen.

"---hospital." Cheryl faintly heard Jughead utter.

"No." Cheryl surprised herself by speaking with a croak, her voice still sore from coughing her lungs out.

"No? Cheryl, you need-" Veronica started but the ginger haired girl interrupted her.

"No hospitals."

"Babe-"

"No, they'll ask questions. And I don't want anyone to know about this." Cheryl looked up at her girlfriend from her position. Toni clenched her teeth and nodded.

"Hey," Cheryl reached her hand out and stroked her girlfriend's chin, "I'm sorry-"

"We'll talk about this later, okay? Just get some rest." Toni's voice seemed cold and agonizing but Cheryl understood the anger and frustration. She lifted her back slightly and placed a small kiss on Toni's lips, not even flinching at how cold they were. Toni didn't pull away, which Cheryl thought was a good idea, but she certainly didn't lean in either.

The rest were watching the situation unfold and thought was best not to say anything. Cheryl placed her head back on Toni's lap and let her eyes close.

"Where we going, Archiekins?" Veronica's voice sounded soothing.

"Your lakehouse... been a while since we went up there." He replied, trying to hide the obvious panic in his voice.

"Maybe 'cuz last time we went there, a couple of thugs broke in and stole a bunch of shit and Hiram's buddy killed one of the burglars and blamed you for the murder." Jughead informed with a small smirk.

Archie gave him a side glare.

"You sure you can go up there?" Veronica asked sweetly, leaning in to place a small kiss to his cheek.

"They upped security up there, on Hermione's orders this time." Betty added.

"Let's hope so." Toni sighed and leaned her head back.

After a few minutes of silence, Betty cleared her throat. Toni looked over and spotted Veronica opening a first aid kit.

"What's wrong?" Toni raised an eyebrow.

"Your hand." Betty implied.

"What about it?" Toni lifted her right arm and to her surprise, she could barely move her fingers and wrist, blood still oozing down her knuckles.

"Jesus." She muttered.

"Yeah, I thought so." Veronica grabbed her forearm and placed it on her lap, trying not to wake the sleeping girl on her friend's lap.

She cleared as much blood as she could and wrapped her hand in a tight gauze and bandage over it.

"We'll take you to the doctor's after we deal with all this." Veronica said, tucking a hair strand out of Toni's face.

"Yeah, you guys try and get some rest, it's gonna be a few hours." Toni didn't need further invitations from Archie. She leaned into the car window and looked down at her girlfriend. Her girlfriend who was so close to dying today. Now was not the time though, she could be upset about it later. For now, they needed to get her warm and secure, and that was when they arrived to the Lakehouse. Toni placed a small kiss to Cheryl's forehead and fell asleep right after.

\-----------------------

Veronica finally took a breath. She was holding it ever since she got that text from Cheryl... that text that made everyone drop what they were doing to go help their friend who was suffering. She didn't know why exactly Cheryl did what she did since they'd all been having the best time with no new mystery plaguing the streets of riverdale but then again her family was practically non-existant. 

"What are we gonna do?" She looked over at the sleeping couple to the right of her. Veronica adjusted the blanket so Cheryl wouldn't freeze to death sooner.

"I don't know... God, Ronnie, I have no idea." Betty responded as she shook the tears out of her eyes. Nothing was gonna be the same again honestly. Toni is heartbroken, Cheryl's suicidal and everyone wants to help but she pretends she's okay, Archie's about to go up to a place that sent him to prison, Jug and Betty are panicked and tense and Veronica was worried for them all.

"Why would she— I mean... Everything was going fine. We were all so happy." Jughead hung his head.

"She was probably pretending." Archie swerved to the left.

"I hate her." Veronica spat, no truth evident in her statement.

"This is gonna change things between them." Betty motioned with her hair to the sleeping couple to the right of them.

"That's what Cheryl gets for keeping us in the dark. What if we didn't get there in time, huh?" Jughead implied, giving a sad smile to his girlfriend.

"I don't wanna think about that now. How long till we get there?" Veronica placed her hand on Archie's shoulder.

"An hour or so. Sleep or not but we gotta get Cheryl warm before hypothermia kicks in." Archie replied, turning on the radio and playing some calming music.

"I'm gonna tell our parents that we're taking a small holiday." Jughead said and got his phone out.

"Don't mention the Lakehouse to my mom or she'll freak." Archie shuddered.

"Got ya."

Before Veronica could say anything, she felt a body slump onto her. Betty's head rolled onto her shoulder as her eyes drifted to a close.

"I guess it's sleeping time." Veronica whispered and leaned into her best friend, her eyes closing immediately due to the mental exhaustion they just went through.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty is feeling extremely guilty. Jughead agrees.
> 
> Toni is confused as to why. 
> 
> A new name appears, Nick St Clair. Toni wonders who he is. 
> 
> Cheryl is broken. She remembers her time at SoQM and her mother's piercing words, convincing her she was the problem. Nick's slimy hands still haunt her. 
> 
> Veronica and Archie are protective and try to help. 
> 
> Toni is upset and angry and confused all at the same time but she doesn't let her feelings out yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i alternate through a lot of point of views. hope it isn't confusing aha.

"Get up ponytail." Betty barely managed to hear a voice whisper.

"Would you please stop calling me that?" Betty groggily whispered as she opened her eyes slowly to find Veronica getting out of the car by the other side. The voice was Toni and it was coming from outside.

Only then did Betty realize that the car was empty except for Archie turning off the engine. She yawned and saw Jughead opening her car door and helping her out. She quickly rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and stood steadily. Fully woken up, she looked around and the familiarity of the lakehouse made her shiver. They were held at gunpoint in that house.

"It'll be okay." Jughead tried for a smile and held onto her hand. Betty smiled back and kissed him gently, as if reminding herself that they were together on this and this time, they were stronger than ever and they could take on almost anything.

She spotted Veronica and Archie, arms linked with each other and faces clouded with fear and worry as they looked at the house.

"So, this is it?" Toni asked, and for the first time, Betty noticed the girl who had woken her up. She was standing at the back, as if to hide from someone. Cheryl was in her arms, bridal-style, the red head still shivering from the cold water of Sweetwater.

It seemed everyone noticed them at the same time. Archie took one look at Cheryl's shivering form and shook his head.

"We can't be afraid of this place forever guys. We need to get her warm." He said and approached the building. Veronica nodded to Betty before following him.

"You need any help?" Jughead adjusted his beanie.

"I got it." Toni grumbled and push past him.

He gave his girlfriend a confused look, "The hell did I do?"

Betty shrugged, "Don't blame her, she's probably angry."

He sighed, "Aren't we all?"

"Yeah, well..." She sighed and looked around the woods. This place was surprisingly calming her nerves down. Despite the events that occurred the last time they went up here and given these events, Betty was feeling shockingly relaxed. It was quiet and steady, something the blonde could get used to.

"We should probably go in." Jughead whispered.

"We were shitty to her, Jug." Betty interrupted.

Her boyfriend shot her a confused look but deep inside, she knows that he knows what Betty's talking about.

"We didn't have a choice." He mumbled.

"I blackmailed her... with a video of her father shooting his fucking son... into helping her brother's murderer's accomplice." Betty shook her head, "Who does that?"

"Hey, you were trying to help me and my dad." Jughead engulfed Betty into his arms, the latter resting her head on his chest.

"We almost lost her today. Although we all hang out all the time, it's really awkward between us. If you weren't friends with Toni I'm not sure she'd even want to be in the same room as me." Her voice was slightly muffled by her boyfriends jacket but he understood each word.

"Hey, it's okay. What you did was good for me, bad for her. Today was a lesson, Betty. Make amends before it's too late, yeah? Same goes for me." He wiped tear stains from Betty's face. She nodded in return and they both headed towards the house.

\------------

Cheryl didn't know how they got to this point. One moment, she's a shivering mess out in the cold air, in the arms of her girlfriend and the next, she's in a house she's never seen before.

Toni set her down on the floor near a fireplace while Archie ignited it. The serpent grabbed a towel and placed it over Cheryl's shoulders, scooting her closer to the fire.

Cheryl immediately felt the heat slap her face. It was refreshing, after being in freezing cold water. She still shivered slightly and wrapped the towel tighter around her neck.

"I'm gonna.. uh.. get some clothes for Cheryl." Veronica stuttered, eager to flee the scene where Toni kept staring at her girlfriend with a mix of anger, fear, worriness and sadness.

"Yeah, I... I'll come with." Archie mumbled and blindly stumbled to where Veronica had went.

Silence.

"Cheryl." Toni's voice cut through the air like a sharp knife. It wasn't cold, but it wasn't necessarily gentle either.

"Yell at me." Cheryl demanded. 

"What?" 

"Yell at me. I know it's coming. 'How could you do it? You have so much to live for! We were all happy!' Right? Did I get it right?" Cheryl huffed and let her body go slack, immediately accepting another wave of heat the fire was giving her. 

"I'm not going to yell at you." Toni said the words slowly, as if Cheryl were a newborn child who couldn't understand. 

Silence. 

Cheryl didn't know what to say next. What was Toni going to think of what she had tried to do. What she still wants to do... Cheryl cursed at herself for texting Veronica about her whereabouts... maybe if she hadn't she'd be dead and not facing any of their wraths. 

"Why?" That was the question that Cheryl absolutely dreaded. Why? Why not? She wanted to reply. Toni knows the answer to both of those questions yet she asks one of them anyway. 

"You know." Cheryl replied.

"I really don't, Cher." She replied, her voice gravely. 

The Blossom shrugged, the towel over her shoulders falling off instantly. 

"Couldn't take it anymore." She admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. 

"What happened?" Toni asked. 

Cheryl scoffed. What happened? Was Toni really asking her that? 

"I'm sad all the time even though in the moment there's nothing to be sad about." She didn't know how to explain it. Her fucked up brain clogging any happiness that Cheryl should've been able to feel was too confusing for anyone to understand. 

"What are you sad about?" 

A beat. 

"I don't know." Cheryl answered truthfully, "But at the same time, I do know." 

This was so confusing. Why was she like this? Why was her brain telling her that she didn't deserve to be happy? What did she do wrong? But at the same time, she knows. Years of her parents telling her that she didn't matter and that she was unworthy of love resurfaced. She knew they were right. 

"Can you elaborate?" Toni approached her girlfriend and kneeled down slowly, taking her hands in the pink-haired girl's. Luckily, she didn't push her away and instead melted into the touch. 

"I could've done something to prevent JJ's death." She didn't have the courage to look into Toni's eyes. 

"Chery-" 

"I could've stopped it. I could've told him that it wasn't safe for him to go out there all on his own. He's dead because of me. My mother drilled that into my brain, regardless of knowing that daddy killed him. Even after that information she kept reminding me it was my fault."

"Stop." Toni interrupted, "You know that bitch's opinion is trash and invalid. It's not your fault and we both know that, babe. Everyone knows that. You were just trying to do what was best for him... what he wanted. If anything, it was your father's fault for pulling the trigger, okay?"

Cheryl's eyes stung with tears. How could one person firmly believe that it wasn't her fault? How did Toni not hate her? How could Toni be so reassuring and so adamant that it wasn't Cheryl's fault? 

"Okay?" Toni repeated. 

Cheryl knew deep inside that what Toni was saying was true. She cursed herself for not fully accepting it. 

"Okay." 

"Anything else?" 

Immediately, flashbacks overtook her mind. Images of a certain boy crawling all over her and ready to rip her innocence out with no remorse. 

"N-Nick St. Clair." Her voice failed her. She almost felt embarrassed that a BOY with a little rich family was in her nightmares most of the time but she couldn't forget the memories that came with the drugs he offered her. 

"Okay... who's that?" Toni asked as she engulfed Cheryl into a tight hug, seeing the pain in her girlfriend's eyes. 

"A little scum." Veronica chose that moment to reenter the room with Archie in tow. Cheryl wondered briefly if they had been listening to their conversation. She was guessing yes.

"What did he do?" Toni wondered aloud, keeping her arms secure around Cheryl and pulling her into her chest, the redhead immediately hiding her face on her shoulder. 

"I could go beat him up again." Archie said, sitting on the only couch in the room, just a few feet away from the fireplace and from the couple sitting on the floor. 

"Yeah, and I'll gladly help." Veronica added, taking a seat on her boyfriend's lap. They were both clearly trying to be optimistic for Cheryl's sake. 

"Who is he?" Toni rephrased her question. 

\-------------------------

At the question, Cheryl let out a sob, muffled by Toni's clothes. 

"Not now." Veronica whispered, shaking her head. Toni could only nod, seeing as it's hurting Cheryl. 

"Did you get her some clothes?" Toni changed the subject. 

"Yeah, but I laid it out in the room so she can get changed there." Veronica inquired, giving Toni a small smile. 

"We'll be here when you guys get back." Archie nodded and that was when Betty and Jughead entered the room. 

"Where were you two?" He asked as Jughead plopped down on a chair. 

"Just talking." Betty replied, her voice small and joined Cheryl and Toni on the floor. 

"Cheryl, I need to tell you something." She said after a moment of silence. 

"Can it wait, ponytail? We need to get her changed." Toni said. 

"Don't act like you care now." Cheryl grumbled as she removed her tear stricken face off her girlfriend. Everyone was taken aback except for Jughead. 

"Hey, she didn't do anything wrong." Toni wiped her tears with her thumb. 

Cheryl gave a bitter laugh, "You don't know the half of it, TT."

Veronica and Betty exchanged glances, the former asking the latter what she had done to make Cheryl upset. Betty lowered her head in shame, not daring to say anything. 

"Come on." Toni whispered and stood up, dragging Cheryl with her by her waist. She navigated the large house and finally found the room Veronica was talking about. She looked at the sprawled out clothes on the bed. Nothing too classy; just a hoodie and some sweatpants with a pair of socks and shoes. 

Toni locked the door behind them and the second that lock clicked in place, Cheryl almost collapsed in sobs. Luckily, Toni was there to catch her. 

"I'm sorry I'm so so so sorry." Cheryl managed through hiccups. Toni rubbed her back and tried to calm her down. 

She didn't deserve Toni. She was too forgiving with her. For God's sake she tried to end her life a few hours ago and she's still being patient with her. Deep inside, she knew Toni must be hurting a lot but she damn well did a good job at hiding it. 

\---------------------

"What did Betty do? Who's Nick?" She whispered softly. 

Cheryl shook her head, "Later." 

Toni nodded. It wasn't the answer she was looking for but it was good enough. 

"Do you want me to help you?" Toni whispered as she pressed a kiss to her girlfriend's forehead. 

"Can I take a bath?" Cheryl asked though it seemed rhetorical. 

"Yeah." Toni muttered. She wondered if she were handling this situation right. What would one do if their partner tried to end their life? Would they bring them to the hospital, be angry, or be upset?

Toni was all of them, but above all confused. She knew a part of the problem was Jason... well, not so much Jason as it is Penelope Blossom. Oh how Toni despised that bitch. She, along with the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, had convinced Cheryl that everything she did was wrong. That Jason's death was her fault. Toni also learned of a new name, Nick St. Clair. She had no idea what he did to make Cheryl this nervous and frightened but she wouldn't hesitate to deck him in the face for whatever he had done to her. 

Also, what was the whole deal with Betty? Toni always knew how standoffish Cheryl was with the blonde. She noticed that the ginger would only be in the same room as Betty was if they were all hanging out or if Toni was speaking to Jughead. Or if they were talking serpent business. 

The questions had to wait, no matter how much they confused and angered Toni. 

"C- can you join me?" Cheryl sniffed as Toni lead her to the bathroom. 

Toni hesitated. She wanted to, for reasons as to being there for Cheryl and giving her comfort. But... oh fuck it. 

"Okay." 

Toni helped Cheryl undress and drew the bath with hot water. Hopefully that would help remove the remaining cold that Cheryl felt after the freezing water of Sweetwater River. 

"I'm sorry." Cheryl repeated, "I... I couldn't..." 

"Shh. Yes I'm upset at you. Yes, I'm angry. Yes, I'm confused. But it can all wait, baby. For now, you need to get warm and settled in." Toni kissed her girlfriend's forehead as she helped her in the bath. 

Toni's clothes went off next and she could feel Cheryl's piercing eyes. Toni couldn't blame her. No matter how much she wanted to comfort Cheryl right now, she couldn't ignore the way her girlfriend's body was perfect and how she wanted to kiss every inch of it. 

Not now, Toni chided herself. 

She got in and sat behind Cheryl, pressing the redhead to her front. Toni closed her eyes and sighed. 

What the hell was she gonna do?


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica is furious.
> 
> Jughead's being his bitchy self but understands everyone's anger. 
> 
> Archie is extremely disappointed. 
> 
> Betty Cooper is feeling guilty beyond words.

Betty paced around as Veronica kept yelling at a loud volume, the former covering her ears frantically.

"You can't do that!" Veronica yelled as she stood up from Archie's lap.

"I know." Betty replied, feeling smaller than ever.

"What the hell were you thinking?"

"I know."

Betty kept walking around in circles, dismissing her boyfriend when he tried to calm her down. How could she be calm? She was an absolute monster.

"I can't believe you'd— my best friend would do that to someone... to my other best friend!" Veronica shook her head disappointedly. The two boys sat down in silence, thinking it was better not to say anything.

Archie was still taking it in. He couldn't believe his childhood friend would be capable of such a horrific deed.

"I'm so disgusted by you, Betty Cooper." Veronica sneered. Betty could almost hear her heart breaking. Her closest friend hated her. And it was all her fault.

"I am, too."

"ARE YOU? Or is it only when Cheryl tried to fucking kill herself did you feel guilty?" Veronica growled as she stood at eye level with Betty, the latter being a few inches taller looking down at her.

Betty stayed silent.

"You are insufferable. Y'know, this is all Jughead's fault. You were fine before you started dating that emo toxicity that is Forsythe." Veronica spat, glaring at the said man.

"Hey." Betty frowned.

"She has a point, Betty." Jughead whispered and lowered his head.

"You're damn right I fucking do." Ronnie continued, "She was fine until she started dating you. Now she's hung up over murders, secrets, and BLACKMAILING HER SUFFERING FRIEND RIGHT AFTER SHE LOST HER FATHER AND BROTHER AND HAD NO ONE ELSE."

"Ronnie," Archie tried to warn her to lower her voice but she ignored him.

"Oh and not to mention it was right after she tried to jump off Sweetwater Bridge until Archie and I convinced her not to. We paid her a visit everyday and I even slept over a couple of times, putting up with her psychotic mother who abuses her by the way, I witnessed it first hand. Meanwhile where were you and Jughead? Probably off fucking in his 'serpent' trailer where all he does is claim he's trying to protect you by being a toxic man who thinks their girlfriend is too weak to fend for herself. Who thinks he's better than others, that he's so fucking tough and mighty. "

"That wasn't your opinion when you were shoving your tongue down my throat in that hotttub." Jughead muttered under his breath.

Veronica wheeled on him almost immediately, "Shut your egotistical ass up. It was for show and you know it."

"Why are you attacking me? I get I'm a bad influence and I'm trying to fix it but this is my father we're talking about!" Jughead removed his beanie and tossed it onto Veronica. She caught it with a flash before it hit her.

"Because your father, no matter how kind and caring, deserved it. He helped dispose of a body and never told anyone. He had to face some charges... but noo let's blackmail CHERYL of all people into forgiving the one loose end she had left leading back to her twin's murder." The Lodge was on a roll. She couldn't believe she was hearing them defend themselves. Did they not realize what they did? 

"I'm sorry!" Betty wailed and flung her arms. Tears escaped her eyes as she pushed Jughead away when he tried to give her a hug. 

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to, Cooper." Veronica snarled. 

A few moments of silence. The only sound audible was the recurring sniffling of Betty. 

"They're not coming down, are they..." Archie spoke, his voice squeaky due to his lack of speech. He agreed with every single thing his girlfriend said. He was going to have a good chat with his friend. 

"Of course not. Considering the fact that these two probably don't care, I'm gonna go check on them." Veronica tried to move but Archie grasped her hand.

"Let them be for the night. We'll get all of this sorted and help Cheryl tomorrow." He said smoothly. She nodded as he placed a kiss on her forehead. 

Betty had taken an interest in her shoes, seeming as she hadn't looked up from the floor for more than 10 minutes. Jughead stood by the side, his hair messy and his hands shoved in his pockets. 

"Oh god." Veronica ran a hand through her hair and glared at Betty once again, "Toni's finding out about this." 

"NO! Please don't tell her." Betty's eyes immediately snapped up. 

"Oh, I'm not..." Veronica reassured, "But you are." 

And just like that, Veronica pushed past her 'friend's' shoulder. 

\-------------

Archie stared at his childhood friend... How could that innocent little girl who always used to do the right thing turn into such an emotionless, petty person. 

He was definitely not one to speak, judging by how he had betrayed his friends to help Hiram, but he genuinely thought he was doing it for the right reasons. Anyway, he got his consequence for that. Spending a few months in that prison was more than punishment enough. Luckily, the charges were dropped when Hiram finally showed the security tapes of the woods which showed who really killed Cassidy. 

"Betty." Jughead whispered. She let out a loose sob.

"Veronica's—" 

"Veronica is right." Betty said, looking her boyfriend in the eyes, "Don't you dare say anything different." 

"About me, too?" He asked. 

Archie felt like a third wheel, judging by how he didn't look at either of them. 

"Yes. I love you and you love me... but she's right about us being toxic. We fight almost everyday and now the serpents are involved... I just wanna be a carefree teenager. I don't wanna be in a gang and I don't want my boyfriend in it either." She explained, wiping her tears. 

"I can't just leave them behind..." Jughead muttered, "They're my entire life..." 

"No, they aren't! You joined them like a month ago. Jug, you can move on with your love for writing. Make a career out of it... the serpents won't do that. We can be together." 

"I'll... think about it." 

"Please do. We'd be done with all of this... Hurting all the people we love. Be happy." 

"Okay." 

\------------------------

Jughead left the room next, and Betty Cooper had mixed feelings. She was glad Jughead was going to let go of the serpents. She had nothing against the gang but she didn't want to be involved with it.

But at the same time, she couldn't stop thinking about Cheryl... and what all of this damage had lead her to do. 

As she stared at the only person left in the room, her heart dropped. Archie Andrews stood there, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes staring at her with so much disappointment that Betty could hear her heart beating.

"Archie." She whispered.

"Why would you do such a thing? That's not the Betty I used to play hide and seek with." He said softly and the Cooper heir could only feel her heart being sliced in half.

Her childhood best friend. The one who knew her more than everyone else... was disappointed in her.

And he had every right to be.

"Im sor-"

"Stop it, Betty." Archie interrupted, "Stop apologizing to me, or to Ronnie, or to Jug. Apologize to the one person you severely hurt and acted like nothing was wrong with it. Apologize to Cheryl Blossom who tried to end her life earlier today because she thought that no one cared... and given your behavior I now know why she'd think that."

Another loose sob wrecked her body but Archie's expression didn't change. Didn't comfort her.

"How do I fix this?" She whispered.

"That's for you to figure out. But Ronnie has a point. You have to tell Toni before she finds out elsewhere." He said and that's when he walked away.

That was the point where Betty Cooper put everything in perspective.

She was evil to the people she didn't need. Pure evil.

Betty sunk to the ground slowly. 

She only ever used Cheryl. 

Why? 

Yes, Cheryl was mean to her but why did she hate her so much?

Betty guessed that there was always a part of her that despised Cheryl for all the rude and hateful words she threw at the blonde. 

Betty was ready to stop. 

Cheryl had changed. A lot. Mostly due to Toni. Because the pink serpent showed Cheryl what love was and how to feel it. Betty never knew that Cheryl lived in an abusive home. She thought she was one of those rich kids. 

Sure, Betty felt a little pity for the redhead when Jason died and even more so when she found out that Cheryl tried to jump off Sweetwater bridge after the latter found out her father killed her twin but Betty never knew to what extent Cheryl was being hurt to. 

Until today. 

Until everyone was happy and she tried to commit suicide. 

And Betty never cared. 

Even though she should've. 

Betty was ready to start caring. 

Cheryl was no longer that mean girl. She was nice now although she has an HBIC act she puts on at school. Cheryl was always that broken girl who puts up walls and acts bitchy just for the sole reason of not letting anyone in because she's scared they'd hurt her. 

Until Toni. 

Toni taught her love. 

Betty could never be more thankful to her for helping Cheryl before it was too late. 

But what happened today was another story. Another story Cheryl was going to hopefully explain tomorrow. 

Betty cared for Cheryl. After knowing what the ginger has gone through, Betty cared for her. She worried for her. 

She was going to show it. 

She was going to show her how sorry she was for that vile act. 

Betty was just trying to help her boyfriend's father. In such a vile and selfish way, she blackmailed Cheryl into it. Even though FP had to pay for his crimes rightfully, she was desperate. 

She just wanted Jughead to appreciate her. 

But now she didn't care anymore. 

Cheryl was more important. Blackmailing her right after something so awful had happened was cruel. More than words could express. She didn't even feel a tad guilt at the time because she thought Cheryl had no emotions; that she was a rude bitch who always got what she wanted. After all, Cheryl never showed anyone her true emotions. 

Betty felt like an absolute monster. 

But she was determined to redeem herself. Betty didn't want to ask for forgiveness, but earn it. 

She was determined to make sure of that. 

"I'll make this right, Cheryl." Betty whispered into nothingness. She didn't feel like sleeping next to Jughead today. She loved her boyfriend but part of the reason she did what she had was because of him. He had convinced her indirectly and although that was no excuse for her own actions, she didn't have the stomach to look at him anymore today. 

Betty stood to her feet slowly and laid down on the only couch in the room. She blinked the tears out of her eyes. 

They all hated her. 

Rightfully so. 

She didn't blame them one bit. It was all her fault. 

She didn't know when, but Betty ended up falling asleep.

She promised she'd make things right with Cheryl. 

At some point in her slumber, she felt someone draping a blanket over her body. She peeked an eye open drowsily and spotted a brunette but exhaustion soon overtook her and her eye closed again. 

"Don't think I've forgiven you, Betty." She barely heard a muffled voice. 

"I'm sorry." She heard herself whisper as her brain started to shut down completely. 

"I know."


End file.
